


Behind the Iron Curtain

by Tender_Salami05



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Cute Ending, Eventual Fluff, Eventual Happy Ending, Graduation, Heavy Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, M/M, Mental Instability, Physical Abuse, Suicide Attempt, Verbal Abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-09
Updated: 2020-03-09
Packaged: 2021-02-28 23:28:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,660
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23085517
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tender_Salami05/pseuds/Tender_Salami05
Relationships: Tendou Satori/Ushijima Wakatoshi
Comments: 2
Kudos: 180





	Behind the Iron Curtain

_ beep _

_... _

_ beep _

_... _

_ beep _

_... _

That was all that filled the dark room, only lit by the moonlight that creeped in through the shades at the window. 

_ How had this happened?  _

The young man thought to himself as he looked to his friend, the one he planned to confess his love to the next day. One moment, all smiling and happy, the next, strapped to an IV and barely hanging on through life support. It was his fault, right? 

He had payed little attention to the other's feelings after the game with Karasuno.

\-----------------

It was only a few minutes after the shock of the game was settling, Tendou had returned to his bright and happy self, and Semi clearly much preferred the silence of before. They were all working on their hundred serves before the 20 laps they would have to do. It was exhausting, especially after a 5 set game.

No one particularly minded though, this was normal, to be worked until they could hardly run or stand, and knowing the next day they would be tense and sore. Yet it was over in a flash and they all headed home. 

\------------

Yelling, that's all he heard, he knew the words, burned into his head with a verbal branding iron.

_ 'Useless' _

_ 'Monster' _

_ 'Bastard' _

_ 'Disgusting' _

_ 'Fat' _

_ 'Idiot' _

_ 'Weak' _

Those were the most common, always a slew of cusses thrown in. An unexpected force soon hit his face, hard, followed by the sound of shattering glass. His head turned to the side as he felt the sharp stinging in his cheek.

The much too familiar feeling of blood rolling from a wound followed, his attention turning to the drunken red haired male he looked too much alike, the person he called his father was glaring down at him, a broken beer bottle in his hand, slightly threatening to do it again.

He knew the rules, pick up the glass, go to your room, if you cry it'll get worse. He obeyed as he always did, parents beginning to argue in the same room.

This was his life. right? Tendou Satori, the Guess Monster, weak and worthless, throwing away the glass before going to his room, which was hidden in the basement, clothes strewn about, a box of manga in the corner, a mattress next to it, he looked into a mirror he had found at some point, attempting to take care of the cuts before having to sneak out and meet with Ushijima, who had invited the other 3rd years over to his house for dinner.

He shoved his belongings into a corner in the small room he called his own, cleaning up slightly as he threw on a pair of pants, some shoes he had hidden, a shirt, and a jacket quickly, not minding how thin it was, not even if there was snow on the ground still.

He opened the window, slipping out silently after grabbing his phone and closing the window behind him, he'd possibly be beat to a pulp, but he felt so safe at Ushijima's house, others were a bit intimidated by the location, but he always found it calming.

Tendou practically ran from the hell he called home, though turning it to a slight jog once he got close to his friend's house.

\--------------

It was only a few minutes into dinner, but it felt like an eternity to Satori, his hands itching to scratch at his arms, and he fought the urge to bite at his nails.

He laughed at any jokes, smiled brightly even when Semi got mad at him. Dinner soon ended and he went to the bathroom, spotting a little, white, familiar bottle.....

_ Painkillers _

This was it, this was all he needed, right? Then all the pain would end, that's what those were for, right? 

His mind screamed at him, saying 'no' and 'what about your team'. But he almost completely ignored those, leaving to grab a glass of water, one thing he couldn't stand was taking medicine without something to drink. He looked over as Semi walked over to him.

"Hey, are you alright? You were kinda quiet, just wanted to make sure the Karasuno bastards don't need to be beat for hurting two people." He says, slightly joking, but the team knew, no matter what Semi did, he saw the others as almost his children, except Tendou and Ushijima however. He was often called the team mom, but didn't complain, he was alright with it.

"Yeah, I'm alright, just tired and zoned out." He chuckled in response, the ash haired male standing in front of him gave a curt nod, patting his shoulder and saying a simple "Sleep well then." As he walked away.

Tendou slowly slipped back into the bathroom, looking at himself and slowly reaching up to touch his face. The others always said he looked amazing whenever he was self conscious about his looks, but, he couldn't shake off the feeling.

_ What if they're lying? _

What if they lie only to get you hyped up, but are whispering behind your back about how horrid you look.

_ You look like a monster _

_ Like they always said, worse than even the ugliest Kappa.  _

Tears began rolling down his cheeks, dark crimson eyes looking dead into the reflection in front of them, similarly colored hair falling loosely instead of being spiked up.

_ a mess _

He was just a mess, nothing to be proud of, nothing to love, but something to get rid of. Not bearing to look at himself a second longer he practically broke the lid off the bottle of painkillers, shook some into his hand and stared.

A small handful of relief in one hand, and a glass of water in the other, why did it feel so wrong, so, bad...

This should've been fine, it was the end of it all right? No more pain, no more suffering, just peace and quiet, at long last.

Yet, he couldn't help but look up to the mirror again, setting the items dawn and grabing a cloth, getting it damp before he wiped away the concealer he used to hide and bruises or cuts. The cuts he had gotten only around an hour before weren't healing, the smallest was the only one to scab over, and the biggest had begun to bruise.

As he wiped his face, the cuts again began to bleed, but it didn't hurt, didn't sting, just itched. He shook his head, a word burning through him.

_ weak _

That's what he was, weak, and the pills were meant to help. He picked them back up, balling his fist around the little objects before taking a sip of water. And despite the bitterness, he swallowed the pills with it.

_ nothing _

_ did it fail? _

_ did he have to suffer another day? _

_ nothing... _

_ and then it happened _

Tendou had been a little too quiet, in Semi's opinion, he didn't believe his friend was alright, his smile was forced, yet his natured smile. The 3rd years were slowly leaving, leaving himself, Ushijima, Oohira, and Tendou in the house.

"Have you guys seen Tendou? He seemed a little off after the game and during dinner." Semi heard Oohira speak up as the vice captain walked into the room. "Oh thank goodness I'm not the only one who noticed" The setter sighed, looking at the other third year.

"He was a little quiet..." Ushijima spoke up suddenly, not entirely understanding the situation. "It's Tendou, he's never quiet, not even if he loses, he always tries to cheer the others up." Reon explained and the captain nodded "I see." He said simply, with the same blank, yet stoic expression he almost always had.

Wasn't that when everything went into the deep end, a sharp coughing cut through the air and they froze for only a moment.

\---------------

_ Pain _

_ Regret _

_ I don't want this anymore _

That was the only thing running through his head as he fell to the ground, coughing as his body tried to remove whatever poison was in it. Blood occasionally fell onto the floor as he coughed it up, one hand clutching onto the cupboard of the sink, and the other clutching at his abdomen.

The door was practically kicked down as Semi burst in, almost freezing at the sight of Tendou, the usually ecstatic blocker slightly looking up at them. Tears rolled down his face as Reon and Ushijima caught sight of their friend.

Usijima rushed to his side with Semi, and Reon quickly dialed the police for help.

\--------------

_ beep _

_... _

_ beep _

_... _

_ beep _

He was still asleep, yet he seemed so at peace, as if nothing had happened, as if Ushijima hadn't seen him, eyes filled with regret and terror as he clutched onto him, weakened by his own actions. All of that unbothering the sleeping figure laying in the hospital bed.

He couldn't sleep, Semi told him to try, but he just couldn't, fearing that if he closed his eyes, his best friend would slip away. That he would never get to hold him, and tell him how much he mattered, how amazing he truly was.

He spent the entire night awake, eyes getting heavy but staying conscious at all times, occasionally reaching over to pet his hair, which wasn't spiked up as it usually was.

That morning, he looked over as the door creaked open, showing Semi and Oohira, quickly followed by a very worried Goshiki. The young future ace was crying a bit, Semi stopping him from running over and crushing Tendou. 

"Ushijima-senpai, is Tendou-senpai ok?" Goshiki asked, voice breaking a little bit. The ace nodded simply "He's alright, I promise." He says simply.

Goshiki sat beside the bed, Semi and Reon sitting beside him to comfort him. Goshiki was pretty close to everyone on the team, especially Tendou, as the blocker was always praising him and making sure he knew he was awesome. Goshiki loved it, he felt loved, accepted, like he belonged whenever Tendou would talk to him and compliment him.

Semi and Reon knew this, and felt bad for the first year who just wanted to play volleyball with his team, his family, not in a hospital and looking as one of his best friends lay unconscious. No one had explained what happened, just that he got badly hurt, but the raven haired first year wanted awnsers, why would someone hurt Tendou? He was possibly the nicest person ever, and someone hurt him.

"Ushijima-senpai, what happened? Why would someone hurt him?" Goshiki asked, wiping away his tears with his sleeve. "He's so nice, why would someone want to hurt him?" He continued. "I don't know why someone would hurt him." Ushijima answered, setting a hand on Goshiki's head in reassurance.

Tendou's eyes slowly fluttered open, deep crimson orbs flickering over to the small group. Goshiki taking immediate notice and jumping up from his seat. "Tendou-senpai! What happened! Are you ok! Who hurt you?! Why did they hurt you!?." He said quickly, Semi getting him to sit down.

"Calm down Goshiki, just wait for a few moments, ok?" Semi said, Goshiki nodding and biting his lip, sitting there restlessly.

Tendou looked over at the group, they were talking, but it was somewhat muted, though slowly getting clearer. "Waka....?" He asked, Ushijima being the first person he could see properly as he regained consciousness.

"I'm right here Satori, everything's alright, you're ok." He replied in a soft tone, Tendou's crimson eyes flickering over to the other three, a tiny smile pulled at his cheeks, it felt, unnatural, he hadn't properly smiled before, in all his memories it was always faked so no one would think anything was wrong, yet, this was new, it felt unnatural but was completely natural.

Goshiki piped up again "Tendou-senpai!" He said, voice squeaking slightly as more tears welled up in his eyes "Are you ok?" He asked, trying not to blurt out a million questions all at once.

"Don't worry Goshiki, I'm alright." He says simply, reaching up to ruffle his hair, Goshiki not bothering to fix it.

\-----------------

It was the day of graduation, Tendou was healed, but couldn't practice in volleyball for the rest of the year, so he mainly watched and cheered them on. They were currently having a free day, going around to their second and first year friends and hanging out and saying bye. Tendou had dragged Semi and Ushijima into a hidden corner to talk to them in private.

Tendou looked at the two, holding their sleeves as he stopped in a corner, secluded from anyone else. "What's wrong Satori?" Ushijima asked his friend, who was shaking a little bit. "You can tell us anything you know." Semi continued the other's sentence.

Tendou nodded "I just don't know how to explain it but...can you two do something for me?" He asks softly, twiddling his thumbs together a little bit. "Yeah, of course." Semi said, once confused face turning to one of worry.

"Can you guys come over to my house? My parents can't know....it's.....about them...." Tendou said, voice turning into no more than a mumble.

The other two froze as they heard what he said, Ushijima pulled Tendou close, and Semi's eyes narrowed as he growled "Do you need me to take care of them?" He asked, prepared for murder.

Tendou looked up at Semi as he said that "No, I just....I can't do it anymore, the yelling....the.....other stuff.....I just can't do this alone." He said, he would've collapsed if it wasn't for Ushijima, who was still holding him tight.

"Of course we'll help, that's what friends are for, correct?" Ushijima said, Semi nodded "Mhm, I might call you dumb, but only cause you can be reckless ya goof." He said, patting Tendou's back, looking around a little bit as the bell rang, signaling the end of school. "Time to go say bye and good luck to the first and second years..." Semi said with a sad sigh.

\--------------

It was painful to say the least, the first years couldn't believe that the third years were leaving, second years in a silent shock. Semi, Tendou, and Reon had to comfort Goshiki, who was balling that he wouldn't be able to see them and worried that he wouldn't be a good ace. Ushijima even joined in, comforting the first and second years, wishing the first years luck on their first proper games next year.

Eventually they had to go, Goshiki had barely calmed down, so Reon stayed back late with Hayato to reassure him that it would all be ok. 

But even Reon and Hayato had to leave, as they held the graduation ceremony soon after, where even Ushijima couldn't stop the few small tears that came after he sat back down. Shiratorizawa's team was like his family, always looking out for each other.

Tendou had broken down after sitting, slightly hunched over as tears poured down his cheeks, these were his very first friends, the only people he felt safe with, they never made fun of him, anything. His friends comforted him, knowing about how the other kids would exclude him in primary school and Junior high.

Goshiki wanted to hang out with Tendou, but, considering the environment, he had to stay with Reon instead. So Semi, Ushijima, and Tendou were currently headed to the middle blocker's house, Tendou trying to calm down as they entered.

It was pretty nice and clean, with a few decorations placed in a few places, and Ushijima could feel as Tendou tensed, sensing the sudden fear that came over his red-haired friend. They went to Tendou's small room, and almost immediately everything changed from nice and welcoming to bland, there weren't any posters on his white painted walls, a small mattress over by the corner, a pillow and blanket had been thrown over it messily. A pile of stuff lay in the corner, with a hidden box near it.

Semi almost immediately pulled Tendou close, many things suddenly making sense. The reason he was almost always cold, his clingy nature, and even why he would go nearly silent at other people's houses when their parents were present.

That's when Tendou jumped, the distant sound of a door closing could be heard as well as a female voice calling out "Satori."

The woman's tone was, strange, it was annoyed, and Semi reached out to grab Tendou's arm before the other left, failing to do so as he closed the door.

"Shit..." Semi mumbled under his breath, looking at Ushijima, he hadn't realized the full gravity of what was happening to his friend. "What should we do?" Ushijima whispered softly "I don't think we can do anything just yet..." Semi quickly replied in the same quiet tone.

That was when the yelling started, it was loud, and the words that were heated brough anger to Ushijima's face, which did surprise Semi quite a bit.

The yelling continued for quite a while before it suddenly stopped as someone else entered the house. This was followed by a male's voice joining the yelling before a thud was heard. Semi tried to get up but Ushijima grabbed his wrist and shook his head. "He told us not to let his parents know we're here." He whispered.

"So what are we supposed to fucking do!?" Semi whisper-yelled at him. "Call someone maybe..." Ushijima muttered, Semi immediately picking up the phone.

\------------

It seemed to take forever for everything to end, Tendou had shown them quite a few bruises, all of varying sizes, some older, but a few were fresh. He had a few cuts as well, none bleeding though.

Ushijima refused to let go of Tendou, hugging him close and petting his hair as the other sobbed quietly into his shoulder. Semi rubbed his back comfortingly as well.

It wasn't long after before the little group went to Reon's house to give Tendou some time to calm down. Goshiki bolted over as soon as Tendou walked in the door. "Tendou-senpai! What happened! Reon told me you would be coming over because you were hurt but no one will explain anything else to me!" He said quickly, little worried tears welling up in his eyes.

Tendou wiped his tears away "Everything's alright now, ok? Don't worry about me, I don't want to drag you into all of this." He says, hugging Goshiki softly. "Ok..." The first year muttered as he hugged back, his red-haired senpai petting his hair.

"Hey Tendou, everything alright now? Semi texted me, explaining the situation" Reon said as he walked into the room. "Yeah, everything's getting taken care of now, I'll be staying at my grandparents' house for a little while though, and they live a ways away." Tendou smiled softly, Goshiki had gotten a few movies to watch, smiling brightly as he held them.

\----------------

They watched movies for the next few hours as it got late, the moon shining through the window with a soft hue. Goshiki had fallen asleep, wrapped up in a blanket. Tendou had offered a horror movie after the first year fell asleep, but the others refused in fear that the little team child would wake up without them knowing.

They had just finished another Disney movie when Ushijima brought Tendou outside and into the back yard, conveniently underneath a cherry blossom tree.

Ushijima looked at Tendou, the latter's head tilting slightly as the stars's light reflected from his deep crimson eyes. "What's up Waka-kun?" He asked with a little smile. Ushijima almost froze, his mind was racing with what could happen, he could be rejected, like all those girls who went up to him every day. 

"I wanted to tell you something, I hope I'm saying the correct information, but, I would much like it if you would go on a date with me." He said, still in his matter of fact tone.

Tendou laughed, the first, true laugh he ever made, it was soft, but Ushijima found it adorable. "Is something wrong?" The ace asked. "No,no,no!" Tendou said with a smile, hugging him.

"You just make it sound so formal, but yes, I would love to go out sometime." He said, Ushijima returning the hug, he felt his heart figuratively skip a beat, and a new emotion filled his head, not entirely new, just stronger than ever before.

Ushijima had told Semi of his plan, to ask Tendou out on a date, and it was clear that's what he was doing, he had explained it to Reon, and Goshiki had woken up, his hair very messy despite barely moving and only being asleep for about an hour. The little ace yawned "Where...." he muttered, half asleep.

"Outside, go back to sleep." Semi said softly, watching as Goshiki wobbled in a failed attempt to sit up. "Are they ok?" The child asked. "They're alright, I promise." Semi sighed, Goshiki mumbling nonsensical words as he fell back to bed. 

Reon laughed softly, wrapping the sleepy kid back up into his blankets, smiling as he curled up in a peaceful sleep. "Wanna find a movie that isn't Disney?" Semi sighed, looking around the room. "They're sweet movies, but I guess if you want to." Reon said simply, going to get more snacks for the group.

Ushijima couldn't help but smile a little bit as Tendou hugged him tightly, he couldn't express how happy he was at the moment. Tendou was ecstatic, jumping into Ushijima's arms because when he was happy, he got jumpy.

Ushijima held him with ease, closing his eyes as Tendou held his cheeks, the ace leaning into the other's hands. "So, would you accept if I asked you to be my significant oth-" Ushijima was cut off as the red head closed the space between them gently. 

They seperated after a moment, a deep blush on both of their faces. "Is that a yes?" Ushijima asked simply "What else would it be 'ya doof?" Tendou laughed softly, the two resting their foreheads together softly.


End file.
